Christmas in Budapest

Merry Christmas from Budapest!

A view of the Christmas Market at St. Stephen’s Basilica

Deciding on where to go for Christmas in Europe can be overwhelming. Every travel site worth its salt has an opinion about which Christmas Market is the best. Choosing a destination can also be complex, so we narrowed it down to three criteria: has a popular Christmas Market, is inexpensive to visit, and not too far from Amsterdam. Luckily Budapest met all of our criteria! 

Budapest is a fascinating mix of history, architecture, and a seemingly endless array of modern and enticing new bars and restaurants. It’s got a bit of everything.

DAY 1 - ORIENTATION

The Central Market was completely decked out for Christmas.

As always, I suggest you start with a walk around the city to orient yourself. For us, it was a bit rainy (and windy) but we persevered. First stop: Central Market. Housed in a beautiful neogothic building, this market is huge, with food stalls on the first floor (fishmongers, produce, spices), and touristy items on the second floor (keychains, magnets). We hoped it would be the type of market where we could grab a beer and walk around, maybe try a few things, but this was more of a proper market where locals buy their groceries. We did a quick walk through of both floors and after 20 minutes we were ready for our next stop. The building was worth a look from the outside, but I would skip the market interior. There’s so much more to see in Budapest. 

Straight outside the front door of the market is Váci Street, the main pedestrian walkway in Budapest. It wouldn’t be Christmas in Europe without some mulled wine and we were not disappointed. Forralt Bor (mulled wine) is available everywhere you look, so we bought a cup to share. The cups for mulled wine are always made of weak styrofoam so plan to spill it on your gloves and have a wet stained hand as you stroll along the Váci Street, enjoying the restaurants, tourist shops and people-watching. 

All that people-watching gave us a bit of an appetite so we walked over to Cafe Gerbeaud, a storied cafe-confectionary with a rich history. Our sources warned us it would be busy and very touristy...our sources didn’t lie. But it was chilly and there was a table available. It’s obvious that at one point the interior was majestic and this was a premier destination for social gatherings, but today it’s a bit rundown and doesn’t feel as luxurious. However, if you don’t care so much about the ambiance, the blueberry and chestnut macaron was delicious and gigantic and I ate it all with no regrets. 

To work off our 3,000 calorie snack, we had to get some more steps in. Our first attempt was to stop by the Blue Fox for a drink (because I heard a cocktail at Christmastime is actually negative calories) but that plan was a bust because it seems their hours are posted incorrectly. But don’t worry, the Michael Jackson Tree - an actual tree covered in Michael Jackson memorabilia - is across the street and is open every day all day so we stopped to take that in for two minutes. 

It was a bit of a search to find places that were open, and we ended up at First beer bar. A comfortable spot, with a heavy rock music serenade while we enjoyed a great selection of local beers and some excellent nachos, which are hard to come by in Europe. The bartenders were friendly and helpful and let us try a few things. We were tempted to try Unicum - the national liquor of Hungary - but once they told us it tastes like Jagermeister we decided it’s best if we just remember that taste in our minds and move on. 

Next Stop is Kisüzem for a round. This is one of the ‘ruin bars’ you’ll hear about when visiting Budapest, which means it was built in the ruins of buildings that were abandoned after WWII. Kisüzem has a nondescript exterior, typical for a ruin bar, and the interior feels like a place where the set crew from the local theatre goes to have drinks. We sat at the bar to taste test Opera, the local gin...it was fine…..nothing to write home about...although I’m including it in this postcard so…. The real draw is the menu. Next time we’ll save our appetites so that we can try some of the bizarre and interesting items, like the Zombie (pig brain and pickles). Side note - There was also no mistaking which is the ladies room and which was the men’s room...but you’ll have to go there and see for yourself. 

Before dinner we head to Kupola at the Ritz. It is so dark and so quiet that if the waiter hadn’t come right over to greet us I would have thought it was closed. We get a cozy table near a faux fireplace (debate: is it a faux fireplace if there are those fake blue flames over the rocks or is that still a real fireplace?) and order cocktails, which are delicious. Plus the cocktails came with salty snacks which are always a plus in my book. It’s a great recharge before we walk 15 steps to have dinner at DSK. 

DSK sits right on Fashion Street - great shopping, better people watching.

At DSK I recommend requesting a table by the window, which overlooks Fashion Street, the main shopping street to view the Christmas lights and for some more great people-watching (clearly this is a favorite pastime of mine). The waiter suggests a bottle of Hungarian red wine, which is excellent. I don’t remember the name of it but I would try Hungarian red wine again at any opportunity. Dinner is quite good - rich and filling. A nice mix of local cuisine with some continental favorites so there’s something for everyone. 

If you’re like us, you’ll need a post-dinner cocktail, so we head over to Good Spirit Bar for a night cap. I recommend making a reservation at least a week or two in advance to ensure that you can get in and get a good table. Ours was a cozy table in the back by the faux London telephone booth. It bills itself as a whisky bar, but the menu is diverse and the drinks are unique in taste and in presentation. One of our drinks came in a mini flamingo floatie! Plus our server was friendly and sent us off with a parting shot which I always appreciate. I will definitely be a return customer. 

DAY 2 - BUDA

Christmas Eve morning - sun, sun, sun! Wishing I brought my sunglasses…

Shameless Plug: I LOVE GPSmyCity.com. Everywhere we go I check to see if they have a walking tour and they often have many different ones for a single city. They never disappoint and it’s a great way to get in some exercise and see a new city.

So many photo opportunities per square meter at the top of Castle Hill.

We headed off on a self-guided walking tour through Buda using GPSmyCity.com although we modified our starting point since our hotel was midway along the walk. Started off across the Széchenyi Chain Bridge that connects Buda with Pest, and skirted up the winding leafy path of Castle Hill towards Fisherman's Bastion, which is directly next to Matthias Church. It seemed quiet at first, until we walked into the courtyard of the Bastion and came face-to-face with loads of other tourists. It’s worth it though to walk up the steps and take in the best views of the Danube, Parliament, and of Pest. Plus there was a guy with an accordion playing Despacito (amazing!). We planned to go to Ruszwurm Confectionery for a snack but it wasn’t open. Oh Christmas...

Sandor Palace is our next destination. It’s the official residence of the President of Hungary. It seems he’s not home, but we enjoy walking among the government buildings and seeing the changing of the guards. As we approach a massive eagle statue and the majestic archway it’s clear we’re officially entering Buda Castle. We explore the palace grounds for more amazing views of Pest, meander down through the gardens and down to the main road to walk towards the baths. Although they’re highly recommended, we skipped the baths but I hear that both Gellert Baths and Rudas Baths are excellent. Keeping those on my list for next time.   

The views are worth the hike. There’s also a funicular if you’re not up for it.

Next up: Gellert Hill. What. A. Climb. Quick stop to see the Gerard Csanád Monument. Apparently Gerard was thrown down the hill in a barrel into the Danube, so they named the hill after him. How kind.

We keep hiking and pass a family dragging their rolling suitcases up the path. I have so many questions: Was there nowhere to stow their luggage or did they need what was in that luggage for when they reach the top? Some mysteries remain unsolved… Finally we make it to the Citadella. There is a little refreshment stand at the top that is decorated for Christmas - complete with a fake fireplace and stockings hung - which is quite festive.

After all that climbing we figure we wander around a bit to catch our breath and see what else this hilltop has to offer. There are lots of little stands for food, beer, and souvenirs with views for days, but it’s cold and very windy so after about 15 minutes we’re ready to head back to sea level. I believe there are quite a few things to do though up there though (museums, etc.), if you are so inclined.

Head back down and land at the Gellert HIll Cave which is a church built into the hill (that for some reason I was expecting to be a bar - one track mind). Apparently a hermit used to live in the cave and used waters from its thermal bath to heal the sick. The hermit is also not home and the church/cave is closed. Disappointed, we head across the Liberty Bridge back to Pest to find warmth and a snack. 

The bar in Kollazs is stunning.

Nearly everything is closed and we end up at the Four Seasons bar/restaurant: Kollazs. Tough times, I know. You don’t want our problems. It is THE perfect spot to stop after a long walk in the cold. We get a sunny high-top table near the bar and order gin & tonics. Snacks are delicious - crispy potatoes and grilled octopus. Plus the Four Seasons is actually in Gresham Palace so you’re killing two birds with one stone with a visit here.  

Fast forward to Christmas Eve dinner at Caviar & Bull. Very cozy. It’s such a luxury to sit back and enjoy the chef’s recommendations so we opt for the prix fixe menu with pairings. Each course is creative and uniquely delicious, although, I’m not going to lie, Hungarian whites just aren’t my thing. They make amazing dessert wines but they don’t nail the whites. Luckily the sommelier is engaging and knowledgable and manages to find excellent replacements for those Hungarian whites. All in all I would highly recommend this restaurant for a delightful night out.

Day 3 - PEST

Merry Christmas! 

Today we followed the Pest self-guided walking tour using GPSmyCity.com. Again, we revised the order of the sites to accommodate the location of our hotel.  

Move over Rockefeller Center, Budapest has the most scenic ice skating rink.

Started out walking up past the embassies towards Hero's Square, a majestic UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring statues of the seven chieftains of the Magyars who founded Hungary. Just past the square there is a skating rink at Vajdahunyad Castle with lots of street vendors for mulled wine and snacks. We watched for a while and agreed that we can ice skate in Amsterdam so we skipped that and happened upon an international food festival. We bought THE booziest rum punch anyone has ever had which helps us forget about the cold temps and the fact that each drink cost us ~€10.  

The Castle grounds are sprawling and absolutely worth a look with plenty of gothic architecture to admire. The Jaki Chapel is charming and while there is a lull in tourists we set up the selfie stick tripod and try for a cute picture sitting on the steps. The process is rushed but we’re feeling good about our attempts. Unfortunately the bluetooth remote fails us and we don’t get any photos. I truly believe that the selfie stick tripod will break us up someday. But not today tripod, not today. 

After the rage of the selfie-stick tripod failure subsides, we take the train (more like a delightful little underground trolley) up to the Christmas Market in Vorosmarty Ter, which features mostly crafts and gifts. I’m going to say something controversial here - all European Christmas markets are basically the same. While the decorations and surrounding landmarks may influence the charm, the actual items in the market are the same; mulled wine, some type of funnel cake, ornaments, knit things, wooden things, etc. Ok, I had to get that off my chest. But knowing they’re all the same doesn’t stop us from heading to a second Christmas market at St. Stephen’s Basilica which has more food and drinks than trinkets. It’s beautiful there and in my opinion a better Christmas market if you’re not looking for gifts and are more interested in snacking, drinking and scenery elements. 

I’m a sucker for a tour option that allows me to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery, so an evening cruise down the Danube from Legenda was right up my alley. Once aboard we were offered a free glass of ‘champagne’ that we muscled down while enjoying the hilariously over-acted audio guide. Our seats were in the middle of the boat, which is not ideal for a sightseeing cruise, and we realized halfway through that we should have been outside on the top deck to get the best views. Don’t be like us. Get a beer and head straight for the roof deck. 

When the sun goes down the shores of the Danube really shine.

Christmas dinner was at Kollazs at the Four Seasons. I’ll be honest, this was a bit of a disappointment. It was marketed as something more festive than it was. We had already been here for lunch the day before, and for the price, I would recommend going here for lunch rather than dinner. The menu is largely the same for both. Plus there was nothing Christmassey happening. There was a live singer, who was lovely, but she didn’t sing any Christmas songs. Anywho, I expected more from a Four Seasons. Next time we’ll go to the Ritz.

Day 4 - THE FINAL FEW

The Parliament building is MASSIVE! Beautiful day and night.

We missed THE must-see sight so today we headed up past the Hungarian Academy of Sciences on our way to the Hungarian Parliament Building. The Parliament building is one of Europe’s oldest legislative buildings and is an impressive structure. Although the recommendation is to tour the interior as well, we are short on time so we explore the surrounding area, which is lovely. There are some fascinating memorials to commemorate historical events that I was entirely unaware of and I realize how little I know about Hungary and how fascinating it has been learning more. 

Our time is coming to a close and although there are a few nice spots to stop for wine or a snack and on our way back to the Marriott, unfortunately many are closed for the holiday. As good fortune has it, Szabadsag Bistro is open for a glass of wine (or two). It looked like they had some good snacks too, although we opted to drink our lunch before heading back to the hotel to grab our luggage and head home.  

Overall I highly recommend Budapest. It was the perfect choice for a quick Christmas getaway and I imagine it would be an excellent choice in any season. I can’t wait to go back! 

THE LOGISTICS 

Travel Date | December 2019

Flights | AMS > BUD on Transavia 

Hotel | We opted to stay in a hotel because we have SPG status this year. We chose the Marriott for it’s great location. Nice hotel overall; rooms were lovely, gym was good, breakfast buffet was chaotic but tasty with a great variety. The Executive Lounge may have been nice but it was hard to tell because it felt like every person with access came there with 12 family members to eat their weight in whatever was being served. We did enjoy some local brandy mixed with a black tea that was delightful and almost helped me mentally escape the mayhem surrounding us.  

Transportation | Although public transit seemed safe, reliable and convenient, we walked everywhere. We also used Uber to get to/from the airport because our arrival to Budapest was very late at night. 

Pro Tip | The weather changed considerably throughout the day. When packing for a trip in December, plan to pack layers, comfortable waterproof shoes, waterproof jacket, hat, gloves, scarf, and sunglasses.  

#195Postcards